The Safe Bet

by Brittney Sahin

  Michael, I can’t handle any more heartbreak.

  “Kate, I’ve wanted you ever since you spilled your drink on me.” He removed his finger from her lips.

  Startled, she moved backward a little, needing space from his overwhelming presence. “That’s not what I meant.”

  “For more than just your body.” He wrinkled his brow. “Kate, can we talk inside? Please.” He moved forward, but she held up her hand, warning him back. “It’s cold. You’re shaking.”

  She averted her attention to the soft, powdery coating of snow that must have fallen while she was being held at the police station. But she wasn’t shaking from the cold. “Michael, I gave up on the idea of you.” She wanted to cry as her gaze drifted upward over his creased tux.

  He rubbed his palm against his own cheek. “I didn’t want to do this out here, but okay. I’m not giving up without a fight.” He released a deep breath.

  She crossed her arms, feeling the chill despite her thick coat—or maybe she just felt cold from the loss of his touch. The simple grace of his finger to her lips had warmed her body.

  “I told the military I’m not coming back.”

  She remained silent, her thoughts a frenzied mess.

  “I want to buy a home in Boston—if this is where you plan to live.”

  She dropped her purse to the ground, feeling too weak to hold its weight. Her knees trembled, despite the renewed spike in her body temperature.

  “I’ve been seeing a therapist.”

  Her lips twitched.

  “I wanted to try and get better before I saw you again. For the first time in my life, I realized I needed help. I want to work through my shit. And I want the nightmares gone.”

  She looked down at her purse, which was lying on the thin cushion of snow. “Two months isn’t a lot of time to work through what you dealt with in the Middle East. To get over your anti-relationship feelings.” She had to be realistic. She needed to think rationally.

  “I don’t think of myself as a murderer—even though I wanted to kill Erick.”

  And she’d almost wanted him to.

  “I know I’ll need to keep seeing someone for a while—I know I’m not a hundred percent out of the woods, but I can’t wait any longer to be with you. I know it’s unfair of me to ask you this, when I’m still so broken, but I promise I will get better for you—for us.”

  Oh, God. His mouth was dangerously close to hers, and she could still smell his cologne, despite the fact that he’d been at the police station.

  “I need you, Kate. I want you.”

  She wasn’t sure if she was still breathing.

  “I’ve never said those words before. Ever. But I mean them—I need you.” His voice was deep and strained by emotion.

  She wanted to believe him, but she was scared. “What about the military, though?” Her voice broke as she spoke. “Are you serious about not going back? I don’t want you to think you have to choose.”

  “I thought that was the only place I belonged until I met you.” He touched the side of her face. “I’m in love with you, Kathryn Elizabeth Adams.”

  His words hit her hard. A tornado of feelings spiraled through her; she felt weak. “How do you know?” she asked, still not sure if she could trust him. “How do you know you love me?”

  Michael shut his eyes and tilted his head back. “Because being away from you has caused me more pain than all of the bullets that pierced my chest. Losing you has eaten away at me, making me feel weak and alone.” His eyes flashed open and found hers. “And because your smile tugs at something deep inside of me. Your humor and your sensitivity, your sweetness and personality . . . you make me feel different.” He exhaled a slow breath. “You make me feel human again. I feel like life is possible if you’re in it.”

  She stared in disbelief at the man in front of her. Was this really happening? “Can we go inside?” she asked, and her bottom lip trembled.

  “You okay?” He touched her arm.

  She nodded. “Yes. But if we don’t get inside soon, we’ll have to make love out in the snow.”

  He released a laugh and pulled her into his arms. “You love to drive me crazy, huh?”

  Her eyes sparkled. The dead weight she’d been feeling for months was gone. She no longer needed to silence the memories of her past—she wanted to create new ones. “We’ve been apart longer than we were ever together . . .”

  “Thankfully, I’ve made extensive plans about how to make up for lost time.”

  She smiled. “You made plans?”

  “Yup. Want me to show you the list?”

  “Oh, don’t make me call your bluff.” She wet her lips. “What exactly is on your list?”

  “Mm.” He pressed his lips to her briefly. “Kissing.”

  She perked a brow. “Yeah? And what else?”

  Michael looked over his shoulder at her home. “Let me show you the rest inside.”

  “Mm. Now that does sound like a good plan.”

  Michael took a slight step back, his eyes settling on hers. “Kate—I hope you know that I’ll do everything in my power to earn your love.”

  She shook her head. “You already have it.” She touched his lips with her index finger. “I love you, too.”

  “Thank God,” he said, shoving his hands into her hair. “And I never want you to stop.”

  EPILOGUE

  “Please talk to him.” Kate reached for Michael’s forearm. “You’re like brothers.”

  Michael lowered the bottle of beer from his lips and eyed Jake from across the room. “He could’ve gotten you killed back in Charlotte, Kate.”

  She turned into him, pressing her body against his as she reached for his beer and set it on the table next to them. “This is our engagement party. He came all the way here. Please. For me.” She looked up at him and purposefully bit her lip.

  “You’re not playing fair.” His hand swooped down her back and cupped her ass, squeezing it a little.

  “Well, I learned how to play dirty from the best.” She chuckled.

  “Hey, I’ve been nothing but a good boy since I met you.” He lifted a brow and leaned forward, softly nipping at her lip. Even that small gesture had her legs tightening. He’d been out of town for work all week, and then they had to come straight to the party. They hadn’t had time to make love since he’d been home.

  Seven days without feeling Michael inside of her? Unbearable.

  But he was trying to distract her with sex right now, so she had to resist.

  “Don’t make me threaten you,” she said softly, narrowing her eyes. “I bought this tiny little red number I was going to wear for you tonight. But maybe—”

  “What happened to my fiancée? I go out of town for one week, and when I come back, there’s a—”

  “Watch yourself,” she teased, “or you’ll be going another week without getting any.”

  She could feel his erection harden against her body, and she tried to hold back the soft mewl that threatened to escape her lips. She wanted him so damn badly . . . but she wanted him and his best friend to make up, even more.

  “Fine,” he grumbled, “I’ll talk to him. But I want you naked in my bed in less than an hour.”

  “What about the red—”

  He leaned forward and pressed his mouth to her ear, the sensation sending chills through her body. “Screw the lingerie—I just want you.”

  Something inside her body squeezed as her eyes flashed, and she had to check a wild impulse to drag him right out of the pub and take him home.

  “Hey, two can play at the game,” he said, giving her a quick pinch on the ass.

  She folded her arms and blew out an exaggerated breath as he walked toward Jake, who was standing on the other side of the bar alongside a few of Michael’s other buddies: Connor and another guy she’d met earlier tonight—Ben Logan was his name. Ben was also a former Marine, and he now ran a private security company out in Vegas. Michael was already making plans to visit him . . . and
to get in a lot of trouble in Sin City, she was sure. Of course, he’d told her that they’d be spending most of their time in bed, but who was she to complain?

  “You got them to talk? It’s a bloody miracle.”

  Kate glanced over her shoulder at the man to her right, and then she looked back at Michael as he scratched the back of his head and began talking to Jake. “It’s been months, so I thought our engagement party was the perfect time. Thank you again, Aiden, for throwing the party. I’m used to being the event planner, but you and Julia really surprised us. Your pub is great. Love the Irish charm.”

  In fact, Kate and Michael had been two buttons away from skipping the red lingerie when his sister had come barging in their front door, demanding they come with her to the pub. When they had arrived, they found fifty of their friends and family there.

  Kate glanced over at her dad and stepmom as they chatted with some of Kate’s old college friends. She still couldn’t quite wrap her head around what her dad had done, and maybe she never would. But she had forgiven him, even if she worried that she might never quite trust him again.

  “When’s the wedding going to be? Might I recommend Ireland for a setting?”

  She’d gotten to know Aiden in the last few months they’d lived in Boston, and she was beginning to feel a little sad that Michael’s best friends were all unattached. They were fun and always kind to her, but it would be nice to have a few girlfriends around. When they had fiancées and wives, then they could all go on couples’ trips together.

  There was the planner in her. She hadn’t quite managed to kill that compulsion, but maybe she shouldn’t. Being a planner could be useful . . . just as long as she allowed herself to be flexible when the situation called for it.

  “I’ve never been to Ireland, but I’ve heard great things about it.” She released a deep breath when she saw Michael patting Jake on the back. Then the two of them began to head toward Kate and Aiden.

  “I think they’re mates again,” Aiden said.

  “Thank God.”

  “Congrats again, Kate,” Jake said, and Michael narrowed his eyes a little at her before angling his head toward the door. The man had his priorities. Fortunately, she shared them.

  But she had friends and family here, and they couldn’t ditch their own party, could they?

  “How was London last month? As boring as I remember?” Aiden brought his beer to his lips and took a swig.

  “Actually, it wasn’t anything like I planned,” Jake answered, his brows pulling together. Kate felt a surge of curiosity, but she didn’t want to pry.

  “You met someone, eh?” Aiden asked.

  Michael was standing next to Kate now, and he slid his hand up the back of her silk blouse. At the feeling of his warm fingers on her skin, her breasts tightened with need.

  “It’s complicated,” Jake grumbled.

  “Complicated women can surprise you,” Michael said, and Kate wasn’t sure if she wanted to elbow him in the ribs or kiss him.

  “Yeah, well, we’ll see . . .” Jake smiled and raised his drink. “In any case, cheers to you guys. May you have years of wedded bliss and lots of babies and yada yada yada.”

  Kate chuckled. “Maybe you shouldn’t give a speech at the wedding,” she joked.

  Before anyone could respond, Kate noticed Connor, Julia, and Ben coming up behind Jake.

  “I’m thinking this party needs a little livening up,” Connor said, giving a mischievous shrug. “No—don’t have him play that techno shit of yours,” Jake called as Connor turned toward the DJ’s table.

  “It’s better than that twangy country shit,” Connor shot back.

  Julia folded her arms and shook her head. “Boys.”

  When the music blasted, Michael tilted his head back and laughed. He shook his head back and forth, spreading his fingers over his belly.

  “What? What am I missing?”

  Then she recognized the tune—“Thunderstruck,” by AC/DC. As Jake, Connor, Aiden, and Ben came up alongside Michael, their heads began to rock forward and back like guitar players at a metal concert.

  Michael was still smiling.

  “We used to listen to this in the desert,” Michael said into Kate’s ear. “Got us pumped up before missions.”

  Kate grinned. She loved to hear about his good memories. She hoped they would one day help him shed some of the pain. And seeing him here with his friends, happy, was the best engagement gift she could imagine.

  “Come on, man. Belt those lyrics,” Ben said to Aiden, a smile spreading across his face.

  “You sing?” Kate laughed as she began to groove to the music.

  Aiden threw his hands in front of him and began playing an air guitar, and Kate clapped her hands with glee as these five badass Marines joked and played around together like boys. She grabbed her phone from her purse and snapped a photo of them, capturing the moment, loving every moment of her life as they formed new memories together.

  BONUS MATERIAL

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  More from Brittney Sahin

  Coming October 2nd, 2017 – Someone Like You, a stand-alone romance military - starring a sexy former Navy SEAL. Learn more at my website, brittneysahin.com.

  The Hidden Truths books

  These books do not need to be read in order, so if you’re anxious for Jake or are curious about Connor—feel free to pick and choose, but I’ve listed them by publication date if you prefer to read that way!

  Beyond the Chase - Fall for the sexy Irishman, Aiden O’Connor, in this romantic suspense.

  The Hard Truth – Read Connor Matthews’ story in this second-chance romantic suspense novel.

  Note: unlike the other books in this series, The Hard Truth is told in 1st person dual point of view.

  Surviving the Fall – Jake Summers loses the last 12 years of his life in this action-packed romantic thriller.

  **Continue for a preview from Beyond the Chase

  Beyond the Chase

  Blurb

  When your whole world disappears, where do you turn?

  Ava Daniels’ lab has been wiped clean.

  Everything is missing, including her boss and the formula for the dangerous chemical substance they had just discovered.

  The major problem? No one was supposed to know her lab even existed. And now Ava is the main suspect in the crime.

  Ava needs answers, and she’s utterly alone. Her search for her boss leads her to former Marine Aiden O’Connor, a Boston pub owner with a sexy Irish accent. But can she trust a man with more secrets than her own?

  Aiden opened his pub to put the past behind him. But when Ava shows up demanding help, he realizes this brilliant woman might be the key to his own retribution. Aiden finds himself pulled back into a world of intrigue and danger, where he can’t tell his enemies from his friends.

  Together, the beautiful biochemist and Irish bar owner go on the run, both seeking salvation—neither expecting that the other is the secret to unlocking their heart.

  EXTRACT FROM BEYOND THE CHASE

  Chapter One

  Speechless. Was that really a thing? Ava never thought it was possible to go completely mute, but at that moment, she had. Her mouth ajar, she stared at the empty room with wide eyes, feeling as though someone had knocked her so hard in the cheek that she couldn’t see straight.

  A deep whiff of bleach assaulted her senses as her purse slipped to the ground, thudding loudly against the floor. Ava’s hands pressed against her abdomen in an attempt to calm the sickness that pooled in the pit of her stomach.

  “Hello?” she called. Her feet started to move through the room and down the hall. She darted into the first lab on the left and her brows knitted together in surprise. She hesitated for a moment, willing her feet to move again.r />
  When she made her way to the last lab in the building, she doubled over and pushed her hands to her knees, an attempt to slow her rapid breathing.

  Empty. The entire damn building was a wasteland of white walls and concrete floors. There was absolutely . . . freaking . . . nothing.

  The muscles in her chest constricted as she inhaled. Henry. I need to call him.

  Her Nikes hauled her back to the main entrance, which was the only place to get a decent signal. She rummaged through her massive purse, cursing herself for carrying such a big bag, and for filling it to the max. “There you are.”

  Coming upright with her smartphone in hand, Ava scrolled through her favorites, tapped Henry’s name, and waited with impatience for him to answer his phone.

  Henry’s fuzzy voicemail, which she’d been on him to fix for at least three months now, crackled loudly in her ears like a death-knell. “Shit.”

  She phoned him again and again, compulsively pressing the call button in her need for him to answer.

  Her voice quavered when she gave in and left a message. “Henry, call me. Right away.”

  Two years back, Ava had trained for a moment like this, never expecting that it would come, and for the life of her, she couldn’t remember a blessed thing about the protocol. Frantic, she searched through the other favorites in her phone.

  “Come on, Kat.” When Kat’s phone went straight to voicemail without even a ring, Ava began to wonder if she were dreaming. Was this some strange, alcohol-induced nightmare?

  Her last hope was Eddie. “So help me God, please pick up.” There were only four people who worked in the lab, after all, and no one else knew a damned thing.

  “What in the hell is going on?” She cringed as she chucked her phone back into her brown bag and rubbed her shaky hands over her face.